


and you along with them

by kira_katrine



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Gen, Missing Scene, episode: s03e07 Unification III
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-15 05:01:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29803302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kira_katrine/pseuds/kira_katrine
Summary: Gabrielle Burnham isn't surprised to find Georgiou still among Discovery's crew.
Relationships: Gabrielle Burnham & Mirror Philippa Georgiou
Comments: 3
Kudos: 15





	and you along with them

She saw Georgiou sitting alone in the empty mess hall, practically blending into the darkness if it weren’t for her face, illuminated by the starlight shining through the window, and her hands, folded in front of her. Gabrielle walked over to her, not at all surprised to find the Terran there. As soon as she’d realized Michael had come all this way, to this time, she’d known she’d find Georgiou somewhere.

Georgiou looked up. “What do you want?”

“You _are_ here.” 

“Where did you think I’d be?”

Gabrielle smiled slightly. “Here.”

Georgiou stood up and walked to the other side of the table, putting it between them. “And you’re just here to tell me that, are you?”

“Not just that,” Gabrielle said. “Though I do seem to remember you saying nothing like this would ever happen. That I must have you confused with someone else.”

“So you’re here to say you told me so,” Georgiou said. “As if I had anywhere else to be.”

“Not at all,” Gabrielle said. “I just thought we might talk.”

There was silence. Georgiou stared straight ahead, saying nothing. Gabrielle wasn’t exactly surprised that the other woman was ignoring her--this was only the second time they’d ever actually spoken, and she couldn’t expect Georgiou to have changed completely since the first. “I don’t want us to be enemies,” Gabrielle said. “I don’t think we have to be. I’ve spent too much time fighting to go out of my way for more for no good reason, not when we have clear interests in common.”

Georgiou didn’t answer, didn’t move, didn’t even blink, just kept staring, her face gone blank-- _she’s not ignoring me_ , Gabrielle realized. _She’s not hearing me._

“Philippa?” Gabrielle tried. Still no response. _She’s somewhere else. But where, I can’t say._

A few moments later, she seemed to come back to herself. “I don’t know what you think we have to talk about, what you think this is,” she said, “if you think there is some sort of… _friendship_ between us simply because--”

“What’s wrong?” Gabrielle asked.

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not,” Gabrielle said. “And pretending otherwise is not going to help you--”

“Who says I need to be helped?” Georgiou snapped. “Certainly not by _you_.”

“So, what, you want whatever this is to keep happening?” 

“You know nothing about it,” Georgiou said. “You think you’ve seen me, that you know me, but you know nothing--”

“Well, if that isn’t about the most ironic thing I’ve ever heard.” _I’m not the only one who’s been surrounded by ghosts._ “And I know enough. More than enough.”

Georgiou turned to look straight at Gabrielle. “In my universe,” she said, “anyone foolish enough to live their life by _absolute candor_ would never have lived long enough to learn to use the weapons your new associates carry. Perhaps you should rethink what you know.” She looked away again. 

Gabrielle sighed, shaking her head--but she wasn’t ready to give up yet. “If nothing else,” Gabrielle said, “think of Michael.”

Georgiou stiffened. “Don’t you _dare_ use her against me--”

“Against you?” Gabrielle raised her eyebrows. “No one is using anything _against you_ but yourself. She cares more about you than she can afford, maybe more than you deserve, but there’s no denying that she does.”

“Surely that’s her own problem.”

“Perhaps,” Gabrielle said. “But why make it more of one?”

“What does she even need with me?” Georgiou said dismissively. “Now that she has you. She’s been looking for you, you know, ever since she returned to us, never giving up hope--”

“You really have no idea?” Gabrielle said. “You have no clue how much love Michael Burnham has in her heart? You think there’s a limit?”

“Of course not,” said Georgiou. “I’ve seen it, haven’t I? Where it’s led her, where it’s led all of you Federation types--”

“And this crew?” Gabrielle asked. “And you along with them.”

Georgiou said nothing. Gabrielle noticed the way she was holding herself--her jaw clenched, one hand gripping the back of the chair. _She’s fighting so hard,_ Gabrielle realized. _She can’t go on like this._

“It’s getting worse, isn’t it?” Gabrielle asked. “Whatever’s happening.”

Georgiou looked up. “I see what this is about,” she said, turning towards the door, away from Gabrielle. “I did hear you had an eye for lost causes these days.”

“Always have. Always will,” Gabrielle called after Georgiou as she stalked out of the room.


End file.
